Moistening apparatus for duplicating machines

ABSTRACT

The moistening device of a duplicating machine has a soft highly absorbent felt pad which is in contact with a felt pad receiving liquid from a container, and also in contact with an applicator felt pad which moistens a copy sheet.

United States Patent Inventor Gerhard Ritzerfeld 2,067,289 1 /l 937 Ritzerfeld.... 101/132 Berlin 33 (Dahelm), Germany 2,142,449 1/1939 Marchev 101/ 1 32.5 Appl. No. 795,566 2,171,061 8/1939 Ford 101/1325 Filed JHILSI, 1969 2,237,548 4/1941 Copeland et a1.... 101/1325 Patented Mar. 2, 1971 2,259,928 10/1941 Eaton, 401/184 Priority Mar. 25, 1968 2,775,401 12/1956 Storrs 401/184X Germany 3,372,975 3/1968 Johnson 401/183 191:3.W- .4 H FOREIGN PATENTS 633 097 1/1928 France c 101/132 5 1968' 854,896 4/1940 France 101/1325 387,226 2/1933 Great Britain 101/1325 APPARATUS FOR DUPLICATING Primary Examiner-Robert E. Palfrey 11 Cl 2D Assistant Examiner-J.Reed Fisher AttorneyMichael s. Striker us. on. 101/1325 Int. Cl 1 B411 7/08 Field ofsearch .1 101/1325, 131, 133, 134.5,1147, 148, 350, 364; 118/268 1 ABSTRACT: The moistening device of a duplicating machine References and has a soft highly absorbent felt pad which is in contact with 21 UNITED STATES PATENTS 1 2,012,619 8/1935 Ritzerfeld felt pad receiving liquid from a container, and also in contact 1 101/132 with an applicator felt pad which moistens a copy sheet.

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MOISTENING APPARATUS FOR DUPLICATI NG MACHINES REFERENCE TO A RELATED APPLICATION The present application is a continuation-in-part application of my copending application Ser. No. 719,142 filed on Apr. 5, 1968 and entitled Moistening Arrangement for Duplicating Machines.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to rotary duplicating machines by which imprints are made on a moistened copy sheet by placing an inked master in contact with the moistened copy sheet. Duplicators of this type require a moistening device movable between an inoperative position and an operative moistening position in which a moist applicator pad is in contact with a copy sheet supplied to the printing means.

In my copending patent application, Ser. No. 719,142, a moistening arrangement for duplicators is disclosed in which a first absorbent moistening means receives liquid, and transfers the same to an applicator pad by which the copy sheet is moistened.

It has been found that an applicator pad consisting of a highly absorbent soft felt will receive sufficient liquid, but will be subject to great wear, and also may not reliably retain the liquid in the inoperative position of the moistening means.

The moistening arrangement disclosed in my copending ap-' plication is provided with a cam-controlled valve influencing the amount of liquid applied to the copy sheets. It has been found that, particularly for small duplicating machines, that a simplified construction is sufficient.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is one object of the invention to overcome the disadvantages of moistening arrangements for duplicating machines, and to provide a simple, efficient, and inexpensive moistening apparatus.

Another object of the invention is to improve the moistening apparatus disclosed in my copending application.

Another object of the invention is to make the moistening means of the moistening device of two parts, namely a hard applicator, and a soft highly absorbent member.

With these object in view, the present invention is applied to a duplicating machine including printing means, such as a duplicating roller carrying a master cooperating with a counterpressure roller, and means for supplying copy sheets to the printing means, for example a supply table for guiding the copy sheets to the bight between the duplicating roller and the counterpressure roller.

One embodiment of the invention comprises a container for liquid to which a first absorbent moistening means, for example a felt pad is secured to receive liquid from outlets of a container, and a moistening device movable between an inoperative position and a moistening position, and including second moistening means comprising a highly absorbent member and an applicator means in contact with the highly absorbent member.

The highly absorbent member is in contact with the first absorbent moistening means in the inoperative and moistening position of the moistening device, and the applicator means engages a copy sheet supplied to the printing means only in the moistening position of the moistening device.

Liquid flows from the container through the outlet means into the first absorbent moistening means from which it is sucked into the highly absorbent member and transferred from the same to the applicator means to moisten the copy sheet in the moistening position of the moistening device.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the highly absorbent member is a soft felt pad, and the applicator means includes an absorbent pad made of a wear resistant hard felt adapted to retain liquid in the inoperative position when it is spaced from the copy sheet, and also to resist weard'ue frictional contact with the copy sheet in the moistening position of the moistening device.

In one embodiment, the container has a filling opening closed by a flexible resilient closure cap which can be manually deformed and compressed so that liquid is pressed out of the outlet means of the container into the felt pad of the first absorbing means. It is possible to make the entire container of a flexible resilient material so that pressure on the container wall increases the amount of liquid discharged from the container and applied to the copy sheet.

Preferably, the container is mounted for angular movement and urged by springs to a position in which the felt pad of the first moistening means abuts the highly absorbent soft felt pad .of the moistening device in both positions of the same.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a fragmentary side elevation, partially in section, illustrating a duplicating machine provided with the moistening apparatus of the invention; and

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the duplicating machine and moistening apparatus shown in FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The drawing schematically illustrates a conventional duplicating machine provided with the moistening apparatus of the invention, parts of the duplicating machine which have no bearing on the invention being omitted for the sake of clarity and simplicity.

A shaft 1 is mounted on housing walls 2 and 3, of which housing wall 2 is omitted in FIG. 1. Shaft l carries a cam 22, and rotatably supports a duplicating roller or printing drum 4 to which a master sheet 8 is attached. Duplicating roller 4 can be connected by a one-revolution clutch, not shown, with shaft 1 which is driven by a drive motor, not shown, in the conventional manner. Duplicating roller 4 cooperates with a counterpressure roller 7 and forms with the same a bight to which a copy sheet 6 is supplied by the operator of the machine along a supply table 5 so that the advanced copy sheet 6 is engaged by the rotating duplicating roller 4 and counterpressure roller 7, and is transported by the same through the printing plane A-B passing through the axes of shaft 1 and of counterpressure roller 7.

A container 9 is mounted for angular movement about a shaft 10 which is carried by the sidewalls 2 and 3. The normal working position of container 9 is shown in FIG. 1, but container 9 can be tilted to a filling position in which an inlet neck 13 having a filling opening is located on top of the container in a position suitable for filling the container 9 with a liquid required for moistening the copy sheet 6 on the table 9 before it is engaged by rollers 4, 7 and transported to a position in contact with the inked master sheet 8.

An arresting leaf spring 11 is mounted on sidewall 3 and cooperates with arresting recesses in the respective sidewall of container 9 to hold the same in the normal working position or in the filling position.

Container 9 has outlet means including a transverse bar 14 with outlet nozzles through which liquid flows from the interior of the container into a first absorbent moistening means in the form of a felt pad 16 which is attached and secured to the container wall by anangular holding member 15.

A moistening device 19 is supported by a shaft 18 for angular movement between an inoperative position and an operative moistening position. The moistening device 19 carries second moistening means which include a highly absorbent bar-shaped transverse soft felt pad 41 whose front end is in contact with the lower portion of the bar-shaped transverse felt pad 16 along the length thereof, which corresponds to the transverse width of copy sheet 6. The second moistening means on the moistening device 19 further includes a transverse bar-shaped applicator pad 17 whose front end is in contact with the lower portion of the highly absorbent soft felt pad 41 along the length thereof, while its rear end is located directly above table 5 and a copy sheet 6 thereon. in the inoperative position of the moistening device 19, the applicator pad 17 is spaced from copy sheet 6, and in the moistening position of moistening device 19, the applicator pad 17 engages a copy sheet 6 which is moistened while transported by rollers 1 and 7 under the applicator pad 17.

Two leaf springs 40 and 42 are secured to the sidewalls 3 and 2 and engage brackets 44 and 43 on container 9 to bias the same to turn to a position in which felt pad 16 abuts the front end of the highly absorbent felt pad 41. Preferably, container 9 with the first moistening means 16, 15 and 46, is mounted on shaft in such a position that its center of gravity is located on the right of shaft 10, as viewed in FIG. 1 whereby container 9 tends to turn in counterclockwise direction until moistening felt pad 16 abuts the highly absorbent member 41. The moistening member 16 is not bent or displaced, since it is held by the angular holding bar which is secured by a spindle and threaded nut 46 to the front wall of container 9.

In accordance with the invention, the entire container 9, or only a closure cap 45 for the inlet means 13, consists of a flexible resilient material, such as a synthetic plastic material, or the closure cap 45 may consist of rubber.

When the amount of liquid applied to the copy sheet 6 appears to be insufficient, manual pressure is exerted on the flexible closure cap 45 so that liquid is pressed out of the container, and flows through the outlet nozzles in the outlet bar 14 into the moistening felt pad 16, the highly absorbent felt pat 41, and the applicator felt pad 17 to moisten copy sheet 6 when the moistening device 19 is in the moistening position in which the rear end of applicator felt pad 17 engages copy sheet 6. The same result is obtained if the container 9 consists of a flexible material and is manually compressed and deformed.

The threaded nut 46 can be turned for adjusting the pressure exerted by the angular holding bar 15 on the felt pad 16. Depending on the degree of compression of felt pad 16, a greater or smaller amount of liquid will flow from the upper portion of the same to the lower portion which is in liquid transferring contact with the highly absorbent soft felt pat 41.

Moistening device 19 has an arm 20 provided with a hook engaged by spring 24 whose end is secured to a stud 23 attached to sidewall 2. Spring 24 biases the moistening device 19 to turn in counterclockwise direction to a moistening position in which applicator pad 17 engages copy sheet 6, but in the initial position of the duplicating roller 4, cam 22 is engaged by a roller 21 on arm 20 of the moistening device 19 so that the moistening device is held in the inoperative position in which applicator pad 17 is spaced from the copy sheet 6.

When the machine is started, and duplicating roller 4 is coupled with the rotating drive shaft 1, cam 22 releases roller 21, and spring 24 turns moistening device 19 to the moistening position in which the rear end of the applicator pad 17 engages copy sheet 6.

The liquid in container 19 flows through outlet means 14 into the absorbent felt pad 16 and downward in the same in an amount depending on the adjustment of nut 46 and the pressure exerted by the angular holding bar 15 on pad 16.

During turning of the moistening device 19 between the inoperative and moistening positions, the front end of the highly absorbent felt pad 41 moves along a short circular path to which the rear face of pad 16 is substantially tangential so that pads 16 and 41 remain in liquid-transferring contact in both positions of the moistening device.

The strong capillary action of the highly absorbent soft felt pad 41 sucks the liquid from the lower end of pad 16, and the liquid is transferred to the applicator pad 17 and applied to the copy sheet.

If insufficient liquid is applied to copy sheet 6, the flexible closure cap 45 is manually compressed so that a greater amount of liquid is discharged through outlet means 14 into pad 16.

The highly absorbent soft felt material of pad 41 assures transfer of liquid from pad 16 to the applicator pad 17. The felt of which applicator pad 17 consists, is harder and more wear-resistant than the soft felt material of pad 41, and consequently more suitable for applying liquid to the transported copy sheets 6 with which applicator pad 17 is in sliding contact. If the applicator pad would be extended to directly engage moistening pad 16, the hard and wear-resistant felt thereof may not permit sufficient liquid to flow from pad 16 to the portion of pad 17 engaging the copy sheets.

When the container 9 is to be filled, it is turned in counterclockwise direction about shaft 10 to a position in which the inlet means 13 with the filling opening is located on top, and leaf spring 11 arrests the container in this position, so that cap 45 can be removed, and the container filled.

Pad 16 turns with container 9 so that pad 16 is spaced from pad 41 in the filling position of container 9. During the filling, adjusting screw 46 may be tightened so that no loss of liquid through outlet means 14 occurs.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of moistening apparatus for duplicating machines differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a moistening device having a hard applicator felt pad, and a soft highly absorbent felt pad in contact with each other and receiving liquid from a third felt pad covering the outlet means ofa container, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit ofthe present invention.

lclaim:

1. In a duplicating machine including printing means for printing on moistened copy sheets, and means for supplying copy sheets to said printing means, in combination, a moistening arrangement comprising supporting means; container means for a liquid mounted on said supporting means and having outlet means; first absorbent moistening means located in the region of said outlet means for receiving and absorbing said liquid; and a moistening device mounted on said supporting means for movement relative to said container means between an inoperative position and a moistening position and including second moistening means comprising a highly absorbent member and an applicator means in contact with said highly absorbent member, said highly absorbent member being in contact with said first absorbent moistening means in said inoperative and moistening positions, and said applicator means engaging a copy sheet supplied to said printing means only in said moistening position so that liquid flowing through said outlet means into said first absorbent moistening means is sucked into said highly absorbent member and transferred to said applicator means to moisten the copy sheet in said moistening position of said moistening device.

2. Moistening arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein said highly absorbent member consists of a soft felt; and wherein said applicator means includes an absorbent pad made of hard felt adapted to retain liquid in said inoperative position of the moistening device and to resist wear due to frictional contact with said copy sheet.

3. In a duplicating machine including printing means for printing on moistened copy sheets, and means for supplying copy sheets to said printing means, in combination, a moistening arrangement comprising supporting means; container means for a liquid mounted on said supporting means and having outlet means; first absorbent moistening means located in means for movement relative to said container means and said first absorbent means between an inoperative position and a moistening position and including second moistening means comprising a highly absorbent member and an applicator means in contact with said highly absorbent member, said highly absorbent member being in sliding contact with said first absorbent moistening means during movement between said inoperative and moistening positions, and said applicator means engaging a copy sheet supplied tosaid printing means only in said moistening position so thatliquid flowing through said outlet means into said first absorbent moistening means is sucked into said highly absorbent member and transferred to said applicator means to moisten thecopy sheet in said moistening position of said moistening device; and means controlled by said printing means for moving said moistening device between said inoperative and moistening positions.

4. Moistening arrangement as claimed in claim 3 wherein said moistening device is mounted on said supporting means for angular movement between said inoperative and moistening positions. so that said highly-absorbent member moves alonga part-circular path; and wherein said first absorbent moistening means is secured to said container means in a position extending substantially tangentially to said path so that said first absorbent moistening means remains in contact with said highly absorbent member during angular movement of said moistening device.

5. Moistening arrangement as claimed in claim3 wherein said first absorbent moistening means' includes a first bar shaped pad made of felt; wherein said highly absorbent member is a second bar-shaped pad consisting of soft felt, and abuts a low portion of said first bar-shaped felt pad along the length thereof; and wherein said applicator means is a third bar-shaped pad made of a hard felt adapted to retain liquid in said inoperative position and to resistwear due to frictional contact with said copy sheet, said third barshaped pad abutting a low portion of said second bar-shaped path along the length thereof.

'6. In a duplicating machine including printing means for printing on moistened copy sheets, and means for supplying copy sheets to said printing means, in combination, a moistening arrangement comprising supporting means; container means for a liquid-mounted on said supporting means for movement between a normal working position and a filling .position, and havingoutlet means; first absorbent moistening means secured to said container means in the region of said outlet means for receiving and absorbing said liquid; and a moistening device mounted on said supporting meansfor movement relative to said container means and said first absorbent means between an inoperative position and a moistening position and including second moistening means comprising a highly absorbent member and an applicator means in contact with said highly absorbent member, said highly-absorbent member being in contact with said first absorbent moistening means in said inoperative and moistening positions, and being spaced from said first absorbent moistening means when the same is displaced in said filling position of said container means so that no liquid is transferred to said absorbent member in said filling position, and said applicator means engaging a copy sheet supplied to said printing means only in said moistening position so that liquid flowing through said outlet means into said first absorbent moistening means is working position and said filling position; wherein said moistening device is mounted on said supporting means for pivotal movement about a second axis; and wherein said first absorbent moistenin means is secured to said container means and positione so as to be spaced from said highly absorbent member in a direction transverse to said second axis when said container means is in said filling position.

8. Moistening arrangement as claimed in claim 6 wherein said container means has a filling opening, and comprises a flexible resilient closure cap for saidfilling opening so that by manual pressure on said closure cap, liquid is pressed out of said outlet means into said first absorbent moistening means whereby the amount of liquid applied to said copy sheet depends on the pressure applied to said closure cap.

9. Moistening arrangement as claimed in claim 8 wherein said container means is mounted on said supporting means for angular movement; and comprising arresting means for holding said container means in said normal position, and in a filling position in which said filling opening and closure cap are located on top of said container means.

10. Moistening arrangement as claimed in claim 6 wherein said container means consists of an elastic flexible material so that by manual pressure on said container means the amount of liquid flowing through said outlet means into said first absorbent moistening means is increased whereby the amount of liquid applied to said copy sheet is increased.

11. Moistening arrangement as-claimed in claim 6 comprising spring means mounted on said supporting means and engaging said container means; and wherein said container means is biassed by said spring means to move to a position in which said first absorbent moistening means abuts said highly absorbent member. 

1. In a duplicating machine including printing means for printing on moistened copy sheets, and means for supplying copy sheets to said printing means, in combination, a moistening arrangement comprising supporting means; container means for a liquid mounted on said supporting means and having outlet means; first absorbent moistening means located in the region of said outlet means for receiving and absorbing said liquid; and a moistening device mounted on said supporting means for movement relative to said container means between an inoperative position and a moistening position and including second moistening means comprising a highly absorbent member and an applicator means in contact with said highly absorbent member, said highly absorbent member being in contact with said first absorbent moistening means in said inoperative and moistening positions, and said applicator means engaging a copy sheet supplied to said printing means only in said moistening position so that liquid flowing through said outlet means into said first absorbent moistening means is sucked into said highly absorbent member and transferred to said applicator means to moisten the copy sheet in said moistening position of said moistening device.
 2. Moistening arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein said highly absorbent member consists of a soft felt; and wherein said applicator means includes an absorbent pad made of hard felt adapted to retain liquid in said inoperative position of the moistening device and to resist wear due to frictional contact with said copy sheet.
 3. In a duplicating machine including printing means for printing on moistened copy sheets, and means for supplying copy sheets to said printing means, in combination, a moistening arrangement comprising supporting means; container means for a liquid mounted on said supporting means and having outlet means; first absorbent moistening means located in the region of said outlet means for receiving and absorbing said liquid; a moistening device mounted on said supporting means for movement relative to said container means and said first absorbent means between an inoperative position and a moistening position and including second moistening means comprising a highly absorbent member and an applicator means in contact with said highly absorbent member, said highly absorbent member being in sliding contact with said first absorbent moistening means during movement between said inoperative and moistening positions, and said applicator means engaging a copy sheet supplied to said printing means only in said moistening position so that liquid flowing through said outlet means into said first absorbent moistening means is sucked into said highly absorbent member and transferred to said applicator means to moisten the copy sheet in said moistening position of said moistening device; and means controlled by said printing means for moving said moistening device between said inoperative and moistening positions.
 4. Moistening arrangement as claimed in claim 3 wherein said moistening device is mounted on said supporting means for angular movement between said inoperative and moistening positions so that said highly absorbent member moves along a part-circular path; and wherein said first absorbent moistening means is secured to said container means in a position extending substantially tangentially to said path so that said first absorbent moistening means remains in contact with said highly absorbent member during angular movement of said moistening device.
 5. Moistening arrangement as claimed in claim 3 wherein said first absorbent moistening means includes a first bar-shaped pad made of felt; wherein said highly absorbent member is a second bar-shaped pad consisting of soft felt, and abuts a low portion of said first bar-shaped felt pad along the length thereof; and wherein said applicator means is a third bar-shaped pad made of a hard felt adapted to retain liquid in said inoperative position and to resist wear due to frictional contact with said copy sheet, said third bar-shaped pad abutting a low portion of said second bar-shaped path along the length thereof.
 6. In a duplicating machine including printing means for printing on moistened copy sheets, and means for supplying copy sheets to said printing means, in combination, a moistening arrangement comprising supporting means; container means for a liquid mounted on said supporting means for movement between a normal working position and a filling position, and having outlet means; first absorbent moistening means secured to said container means in the region of said outlet means for receiving and absorbing said liquid; and a moistening device mounted on said supporting means for movement relative to said container means and said first absorbent means between an inoperative position and a moistening position and including second moistening means comprising a highly absorbent member and aN applicator means in contact with said highly absorbent member, said highly absorbent member being in contact with said first absorbent moistening means in said inoperative and moistening positions, and being spaced from said first absorbent moistening means when the same is displaced in said filling position of said container means so that no liquid is transferred to said absorbent member in said filling position, and said applicator means engaging a copy sheet supplied to said printing means only in said moistening position so that liquid flowing through said outlet means into said first absorbent moistening means is sucked into said highly absorbent member and transferred to said applicator means to moisten the copy sheet in said moistening position of said moistening device.
 7. Moistening arrangement as claimed in claim 6 wherein said container means is mounted on said supporting means for angular movement about a first axis between said normal working position and said filling position; wherein said moistening device is mounted on said supporting means for pivotal movement about a second axis; and wherein said first absorbent moistening means is secured to said container means and positioned so as to be spaced from said highly absorbent member in a direction transverse to said second axis when said container means is in said filling position.
 8. Moistening arrangement as claimed in claim 6 wherein said container means has a filling opening, and comprises a flexible resilient closure cap for said filling opening so that by manual pressure on said closure cap, liquid is pressed out of said outlet means into said first absorbent moistening means whereby the amount of liquid applied to said copy sheet depends on the pressure applied to said closure cap.
 9. Moistening arrangement as claimed in claim 8 wherein said container means is mounted on said supporting means for angular movement; and comprising arresting means for holding said container means in said normal position, and in a filling position in which said filling opening and closure cap are located on top of said container means.
 10. Moistening arrangement as claimed in claim 6 wherein said container means consists of an elastic flexible material so that by manual pressure on said container means the amount of liquid flowing through said outlet means into said first absorbent moistening means is increased whereby the amount of liquid applied to said copy sheet is increased.
 11. Moistening arrangement as claimed in claim 6 comprising spring means mounted on said supporting means and engaging said container means; and wherein said container means is biassed by said spring means to move to a position in which said first absorbent moistening means abuts said highly absorbent member. 